Olney ISD Junior High Storm Shelter & Classroom Addition

The Olney ISD Junior High Storm Shelter & Classroom Addition at 300 Ave. H in Olney is complete. The project passed its final TDLR accessibility inspection in September 2026, confirming that construction has concluded. This addition adds 11,370 square feet to the existing school building, including a storm shelter, hardened classrooms, special needs space, and a corridor connecting to the elementary school.

Project Scope and Cost

Olney ISD, the owner of record, filed the project with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in January 2025. The estimated cost was $6,680,000, which works out to $588 per square foot. This figure is above the median cost per square foot for similar additions to existing buildings in Young County, which stands at $230. The total estimated cost is also above the county median for this type of work, placing the project in the top quarter of comparable filings in the region.

The design firm of record is Parkhill (Chip Whitlock) mm. The registered accessibility specialist for the project is Stephen D Macphie. The scheduled build window was 317 days, which is close to the county median of 296 days for similar projects. Construction started in February 2025, following plan review completion in January 2025.

Context and Comparisons

This project is one of several TDLR-registered initiatives by Olney ISD. The district has three other registered projects totaling $1,670,000, including an Elementary School addition, a Daycare facility, and a High School project, all of which have completed inspection. The design firm, Parkhill (Chip Whitlock) mm, has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $3,830,000, including work in Abilene and Olney. The local area, ZIP code 76374, has a population of about 3,915 and a median household income of $41,869, according to U.S. Census estimates. The Young County unemployment rate was 3.8 percent in July 2026, higher than a year earlier.